Camp Gets Taken to a Whole New Level with Showgirls! The Musical

Camp Gets Taken to a Whole New Level with Showgirls! The Musical

Remember that movie Showgirls? I’m almost certain you do. It had Saved By The Bell’s neurotic Jessie Spano—aka Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan of Twin Peaks fame and Gina Gershon—who always seems to play some sort of dead-eyed borderline psychopath. Well, as you probably know, this movie didn’t make out so well in theaters. The odds were stacked against it from the get-go: an insane amount of erotic sexuality and sexual violence—way too much for audiences 18 years ago, graphic language and horrendous, cringe-inducing overacting by its star. This little nugget got smacked with an NC-17 rating and then crawled into a hole to die. However, this film, which somehow reached cult classic status, now has a home Off-Broadway with Showgirls! The Musical—playing at XL Nightclub, Cabaret & Lounge in Midtown from May 15 thru June 15. I saw this raunchy show a few weeks ago when it was still performing Off Off-Broadway in the East Village, and I have to say it is pretty true to the movie. All the parts you quietly mocked are greatly exaggerated in the show—think the sexual tension between Berkley and Gershon’s characters, the aloofness of Berkley’s best friend and the cheesy dance numbers. This is a funny show; however, it’s not for everyone. If you don’t mind nudity, foul language and incredibly crude jokes, Showgirls! The Musical is definitely worth the $20 ticket. For more information, click here.